When I completed
Mural 2, there was a dedication ceremony to thank the artists who decorated
the refugee center. The founder of Zenith gave a speech in English
with the most delightful French accent. (I love English spoken
with a French accent.) A nasty little Welshman gave a forgettable
talk. And, I broke the ice with the opening speech.

My speech
was short, to the point, and humorous. My English had to be translated
into Dutch as I spoke. But, I wanted people to enjoy it no matter
what language they understood.

I explained
how pleased I was that this mural project just fell into my lap.
I had looked for community service projects in Antwerp. But, because
I didn't speak Dutch, it was no easy task. I tried. I failed.
That received the chuckle I wanted. It also caught the attention
of Vivianne, who
understood completely the problems I faced with English in a world of
Dutch speakers. But, she also spoke Dutch and could make connections
for me that were otherwise impossible to find. And, she already
knew of Oscare, a burn center, that would send me back to the wall again.

The mural
at Oscare was twelve yards along a curved wall. The center had
an educational video depicting nine situations in the home where people
could get burned. (In case you are wondering, the number one way
to get burned in Belgium is with hot water.) I put each of those
situations into the mural, adding a healthy dose of my kid-friendly
cartoons.

A wide range
of people came to help with the project. There were former students
and coworkers from school; patients, parents and siblings from Oscare;
and employees from the center including the director and main surgeon.
My personal favorite painter was the five year old patient who came
for a session with a specialist. Before leaving, she and her father
sat down on the floor to paint a section of the wall. Twice!

MARTIN

MARTIN

Some
times I'm just so surprised what happens if you are brave enough to ask
the right question to the right people. Winsor &
Newton, who just happen to make my favorite paint, very gladly donated
paint for the mural at Oscare. That kind of support is so very much appreciated
and certainly made the mural look a whole lot better!